I Got Addicted To A Losing Game - Mattheo Riddle

⤑ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4: ᴅᴇʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇ

Days had passed since Esme's encounter with Riddle at the astronomy tower. Leaving her with a lingering sense of bewilderment. 

His ability to somewhat decipher her in an instant baffled her.

Most of her friends didn't even know what he had figured out in a single day.

Esme had only crossed paths with Riddle once since that encounter, and even then it'd been brief. 

She'd decided to begin avoiding him, unable to deal with his antics.

Although Esme mainly kept to avoiding Theo, the idea of another person, especially her closest friend, figuring out her deepest emotions was more than she could handle at the moment.

Theodore had always had the ability to decode Esme's innermost thoughts, but Esmeralda didn't want that. 

She longed for nothing more than to be treated normally, to be simply seen as another person. 

Instead of something delicate that was prone to shattering.

Esme sat up, creasing the corner of the book she'd been immersed in, a sudden decision brewing within her.

Wordlessly, she left the dorm, taking off towards the astronomy tower.

Although the prospect of encountering Riddle again filled her with a sense of irritation. Esme needed a haven she could retreat to without the disturbance of others. Somewhere she'd be able to find solitude.

So, it seemed to be the only viable option, despite the risk of having to cross paths with Riddle.

Claiming her usual spot, Esme's gaze locked onto the setting sun. The horizon creating a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues of reds to yellows.

Like the rising tide, Esme's thoughts began to surge. But she made the effort to subdue them, refusing to be swept away by their turbulent currents.

Rather, she decided to linger in the stillness, allowing her mind to drift aimlessly, free from the burdens that had been weighing her down.

She refused to accept that this would become her new reality.

Footsteps filled the once peaceful environment, recognizing that she'd been found by the last person she wanted to see. 

"Riddle" She mumbled faintly, her voice tinged with a mixture of reluctance and agitation. 

The boy went on to lean against the wall beside her. A cigarette dangling between his fingers, its burning ember casting a faint glow amidst the dim light.

"Back to last names, huh? Low blow Black." He teased, taking another drag from the cigarette in his hand.

Esme rolled her eyes, uncaring for his sass. An overwhelming desire for isolation was all she felt, which was only elevated through every second she was forced to spend with him.

Esmeralda's words cut through the air, "Why are you here?" She demanded, venom intertwined within her words. 

Her mind raced with unanswered questions, struggling to make sense of his persistent presence. 

Esme's gaze locked onto his, unwavering and expectant, as she awaited his response with a restless impatience.

"Am I not allowed to be here?" He queried, a hint of amusement within his tone. His casual nature only amplifying her exasperation. 

Esme pushed herself up from her seated position, rising to meet Riddle's gaze. Her eyes blazed with a relentless determination, locking onto his with a cold glare.

"I never said that." She snapped, each word a reflection of the vexation that coursed through her veins. 

The simmering embers of her earlier irritation were now ignited, fueled by his somewhat ability to decipher her in an instant.

Esme stood her ground, unwilling to back down from the confrontation.

Riddle's voice dripped with an infuriating condescension as he mocked, "Easy there, tiger."

His lips curling into that same taunting smirk, amused over her infuriation, each taunt designed to push her buttons.

In recognizing this motive, Esme became only more livid.

Her gaze bore into him with a blistering intensity, "You wanted me to get mad at you, didn't you?" she questioned with a mix of accusation and perplexity. 

Some of her anger diffused as the understanding dawned upon her. Still, Riddle remained seemingly unfazed, that same smirk etched upon his features. 

An expression that only further stumped her, as that same frustration rose to the surface once more. Rolling her eyes in response.

"Maybe, maybe not." His smirk remained, but Esme stopped herself from losing control towards him again, not wanting to give him what he wanted from her. 

Esme just looked at him blankly, not responding to his remarks.

"Surprised you didn't notice sooner" Mattheo mocked, whilst she held herself back from saying anything stupid, but she knew one thing. She hated the boy in front of her. 

"Speechless are we darling?" Letting out a laugh, as Esme's eyes narrowed. The name he'd uttered only further provoking her.

"What's with the nickname Riddle?" Esme questioned sharply, the attempt to hide her frustration proving futile.

"Do you not like it love?" He inquired, the deceptive sweetness in his tone only serving to heighten her growing agitation. Still, she was determined to weather the storm of her own emotions.

She was aware of Riddle's attempts to get under her skin, serving as the determination to remain resolute.

Esme wasn't going to let him get what he wanted from her, her stubbornness a strong trait of hers.

"Not particularly, Riddle." Esmeralda responded calmly, a mask of calmness settling upon her features. 

A carefully constructed façade that concealed the irritation simmering within her.

From a young age, Esme had perfected the art of concealing her emotions. A skill forged in the face of her grandmother's frigid temperament. Taught from her disdain for emotional vulnerability.

---✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡♡---

Word count: 888

Author's Note: I'm fine babes, but I'm still having really bad stomach pain that's been going on for like three weeks now, and I still don't have answers behind why.